You know, that old line “If you give up before your goal is reached, you are a quitter”… it’s brutal, but it gets to the heart of what separates those who make it from those who just talk about it. It’s not about talent; it’s about that relentless persistence, that refusal to let temporary failure become your final story. The moment you stop is the moment you define the outcome.
Share Image Quote:Table of Contents
Meaning
The core message is stark and binary: Persistence is the non-negotiable price of victory. Stopping before the finish line isn’t a pause; it’s a permanent definition of your character as someone who doesn’t win.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this play out so many times. Hill isn’t just talking about stubbornness. He’s talking about a specific, almost obsessive quality of mind. It’s the ability to hold onto your vision even when every single piece of evidence says you should let go. It’s that deep-down belief that the outcome is inevitable if you just refuse to leave the battlefield. The “winner” isn’t the one who never gets knocked down; they’re the one who uses the count of nine to get a second wind. The “quitter” isn’t necessarily weak; they’re just someone who accepted a temporary condition as a permanent state. That’s the real distinction.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | attitude (43), determination (14), persistence (32) |
| Literary Style | proverbial (12) |
| Emotion / Mood | motivating (311) |
| Overall Quote Score | 83 (302) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Napoleon Hill’s 1937 classic, Think and Grow Rich, published in the United States. It’s a cornerstone of his philosophy. People often misattribute similar sayings to Vince Lombardi or other motivational figures, but this specific phrasing, this direct link between quitting and identity, is pure Hill from that era.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Napoleon Hill (84) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Think and Grow Rich (37) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Modern (527) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) wrote influential books on achievement and personal philosophy. After interviewing industrialist Andrew Carnegie, he spent years studying the habits of top performers, which led to The Law of Success and the classic Think and Grow Rich. Hill taught and lectured widely, promoting ideas like the Master Mind, definite purpose, and persistence. He collaborated with W. Clement Stone and helped launch the Napoleon Hill Foundation to preserve and extend his teachings. His work continues to shape self-help, entrepreneurship, and success literature.
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram | YouTube
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | If you give up before your goal is reached, you are a quitter. A quitter never wins and a winner never quits |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 1937; ISBN: 978-1-59330-200-9; Latest Edition: 2020; Number of Pages: 320 |
| Where is it? | Chapter 9: Persistence, Approximate page from 2020 edition: 160 |